Case Advocate College Aide

NYC Department of Finance; New York (NY); On-site; USD 25,000 - 28,000; Part time

Job summary

The NYC Department of Finance, Office of the Taxpayer Advocate, seeks a graduate or law student to serve as Case Advocate College Aide. This hands-on role provides exposure to individual case advocacy and systemic policy work, collaborating with practicing attorneys on real cases impacting NYC taxpayers.

You will assist in researching facts, interview taxpayers, and help resolve inquiries, with a required commitment of about 14 hours per week in the office.

Qualifications

• Matriculation at an accredited college or graduate school is required.
• Employment is conditioned upon continued student status.
• Law-related coursework or experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assisting Case Advocates in researching and investigating the facts of active cases.
• Researching policy issues and underlying systemic problems.
• Interview taxpayers to understand their tax situations, answer questions about notices, bills, and other correspondence, and help resolve inquiries.

Skills

Strong writing

Legal research

Time management

Interpersonal skills

Law student

Education

Matriculation at an accredited college or graduate school

Job description

Minimum Qualifications

For Assignment Level I:

NYC Department of Finance (DOF) is responsible for administering the tax revenue laws of the city fairly, efficiently, and transparently to instill public confidence and encourage compliance while providing exceptional customer service. The Office of the Taxpayer Advocate is seeking a graduate or law student to serve as Case Advocate College Aide. This is a hands‑on opportunity to work directly with practicing attorneys on real cases affecting NYC taxpayers, while gaining exposure to both individual case advocacy and systemic policy work. The Office handles case advocacy and systemic problem resolution involving NYC business and excise taxes, property taxes, rent freeze programs, deed theft, and other NYC tax matters offering interns broad exposure to how tax policy plays out in practice.

Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Taxpayer Advocate or the Attorney Advisor, the selected candidate’s duties and responsibilities will include, but not be limited to the following:

• Assisting Case Advocates in researching and investigating the facts of active cases.
• Researching policy issues and underlying systemic problems.
• Interview taxpayers to understand their tax situations, answer questions about notices, bills, and other correspondence, and help resolve inquiries.

Additional Information

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

Candidate must be able to commit at least one full day in the office each week, totaling approximately 14 hours per week if possible.

COLLEGE AIDE (ALL CITY DEPTS) - 10209

Minimum Qualifications

For Assignment Level I:

Matriculation at an accredited college or graduate school. Employment is conditioned upon continuance as a student in a college or graduate school.

For Assignment Level II (Information Technology)

Matriculation at an accredited college or graduate school. Employment is conditioned upon continuance as a student in a college or graduate school with a specific course of study in information technology, computer science, management information systems, data processing, or closely related field, including or supplemented by 9 semester credits in an acceptable course of study.

For Assignment Level III (Information Technology Fellow)

Matriculation at an accredited college or graduate school. Employment is conditioned upon continuance as a student in a college or graduate school with a specific course of study in information technology, computer science, management information systems, data processing, or other area relevant to the information technology project(s) assigned, including or supplemented by 9 semester credits in an acceptable course of study. Appointments to this Assignment Level will be made by the Technology Steering Committee through the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications.

SPECIAL NOTE

Maximum tenure for all Assignment Levels in the title of College Aide is 6 years. No student shall be employed more than half‑time in any week in which classes in which the student is enrolled are in session. Students may be employed full‑time during their vacation periods.

Preferred Skills

• Strong writing and legal research skills. - Strong time management and ability to meet project deadlines. - Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to navigate difficult conversations with frustrated or upset taxpayers. - Law student preferred.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

, $18.00 – $20.30